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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22411480">Legend Of The Shadow People</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/castronomicaaal/pseuds/castronomicaaal'>castronomicaaal</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:21:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,899</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22411480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/castronomicaaal/pseuds/castronomicaaal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The legend started way back, about 70 years or so ago, right in these very woods…</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Peter Parker, Wanda Maximoff/Steve Rogers flirting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Legend Of The Shadow People</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a silly, not meant to be taken serious, one shot for my own enjoyment and, hopefully, yours too!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They arrive at the campsite just past seven.</p><p>The sky is beginning to dim, a beautiful bluish pink, and the bugs are starting to come out for the night. The first thing Bruce does after setting down his satchel is pull out his bug spray and begin to spray it around everywhere, his nose scrunched up in annoyance.</p><p>“Watch it,” Natasha gags, frowning. “That stuff reeks.”</p><p>“You’ll be thanking me come tomorrow,” Bruce assures her, but puts the can back into his bag anyway. “Tell me one more time, why are we camping?”</p><p>Clint simply chuckles and pats Bruce on the back. “Smell that fresh air, it’s beautiful out here. And it’s our last week as seniors, why not do something fun together?”</p><p>“Our definitions of fun are very different.” Wanda points out, rubbing her bare shoulders. The slight chill of the night air gets to her. Steve notices and, being the gentleman he is, takes off his hoodie and wraps it around her arms. She smiles gratefully, pulling the blue clothing item tighter around her small frame.</p><p>“Come on guys, at least try and enjoy yourselves.” Clint shakes his head, already beginning to put up his tent. He does so with ease and it’s obvious this isn’t his first time out in the woods.</p><p>“Oh, I‌ plan to.” Tony practically purrs, dragging his large tent bag over to the right of Clint’s half put up tent. “Especially with this bad boy.”</p><p>He pats the tent bag and grins. Clint rolls his eyes, but his lip twitches upwards.</p><p>Bucky watches silently from off to the side, his own black bag slung across his back. He’s not exactly thrilled to be here, either, but is willing to make the best of it for his friends’ sake. Clint had been looking forward to tonight for a solid month now, at least.</p><p>“What is that thing, anyway?” Steve speaks up questioningly, pointing towards Tony’s bag.</p><p>Tony chuckles, dropping the bag handle to the ground. “My tent, ladies and gentleman.”</p><p>He steps backwards after clicking a button upon the bag. Slowly, it begins to open up and come undone. The group watches in awe as the tent expands carefully, growing bigger and bigger until eventually stilling.</p><p>“Made it myself, only took a few weeks.” Tony tells them proudly.</p><p>Natasha can’t help but laugh, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Tony, do you really need a ten person tent just for you?”</p><p>Tony scoffs and waves her off. “Of course. I‌ may be camping but I‌ intend to do so luxuriously. You’re always welcome to join, Nat.” He winks.</p><p>Natasha rolls her eyes, looking away so he can’t spot the soft blush upon her cheeks.</p><p>Once Clint finishes his tent he helps Natasha and Wanda set up theirs. Bucky does up his own with a little help from Steve and vise versa. Tony and Bruce set up Bruce’s. By the time all is said and done, everyone’s tents are up and Clint is working away at the fire.</p><p>They sit in a circle around the fire, talking and laughing as Clint stokes it.</p><p>“See,” he tells them, sitting back in order to admire his handiwork. “It’s not so bad out here, is it?”</p><p>“I’m enjoying myself,” Bucky speaks up first, holding his beer up into the air before taking another sip.</p><p>Steve nods in agreement. “Me too.”</p><p>The others murmur their approvals and Clint sighs in satisfaction. “How about a scary story or two?”</p><p>Wanda pouts, shaking her head. “I hate scary stories, you know that Clint!”</p><p>He chuckles, shrugging. Steve moves in closer to Wanda, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “I’ll protect you,” he tells her sincerely, to which Tony snorts. Steve blatantly ignores him.</p><p>“Go on then, Barton.” Natasha teases, her eyes narrowing. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”</p><p>He laughs and nods. “Have any of you ever heard about the legend of the shadow people?”</p><p>Everyone shakes their head ‘no’ and Clint nods, satisfied, before continuing. “The legend started way back, about 70 years or so ago, right in these very woods…</p><p>
  <em>It all started when the old time miners still roamed underground, digging for gold and coal. Anyway, supposedly two of the miners were down under the ground, working late, when one saw the shadow of a figure out of the corner of his eye. Now, he didn’t think much of it ‘till he looked again ten minutes later and the shadow was back. He and his buddy were the only ones down there, as far as he knew. So he called out, asking if someone else was down there with them. No one answered.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So he went back to work. Well, another twenty minutes later and he saw the same shadow. Spooked as hell by this point, the miner attempted to flee the tunnel. He had to run by the shadow to get out of there though, and the shadow tripped him. He fell face first right into the tip of a pickaxe. He died right away, right down there in the tunnel beside his terrified friend who saw the whole thing happen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For some reason, the shadow let his friend escape. Probably to heed a warning to the others. Five more miners died in mysterious ways and eventually the mine shut down cause so many guys were scared of the shadow and refused to go to work, for fear of death following them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With the mine shut down, the shadow had to leave the safety of the underground and come up to the surface. People say the shadow now kills its victims by sitting on their chest, hands around their mouth to stop their breathing. Always in the middle of the night. Always to unassuming campers.</em>
</p><p>“…and there you have it, the legend of the shadow people.” Clint finishes, standing and taking a bow. His friends cheer and clap, though some admittedly look weary. Natasha and Wanda, in particular, do their best to hide their unease.</p><p>Wanda settles in closer to Steve, resting her head upon his shoulder.</p><p>The party soon after turns to more drinking and cooking hot dogs and s’mores, the shadow people long forgotten.</p><p>Before they know it, it’s pushing two in the morning.</p><p>Natasha and Wanda retire to their tent first, waving goodbye to the group of boys. Bruce follows soon after, with Tony and Steve hot on his heels.</p><p>Clint and Bucky stay up awhile longer, talking about useless stuff and laughing while they drink. When the beer runs out, they head their separate ways.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Did you hear that?” Wanda whispers to Natasha for the fourth time in as many minutes.</p><p>Natasha rolls over in the tent so she can face Wanda. She frowns deeply, grabbing the girl by the shoulders. “I am really thinking about killing you right now.”</p><p>Wanda rolls her eyes. “I swear I‌ heard something out there. Please, Nat. I’m freaking the fuck out.”</p><p>Eventually Natasha sighs and caves in. “Clint’s story really got to you, huh?”</p><p>She bites her lower lip before nodding.</p><p>“Okay, kiddo. We’re gonna go take a quick look outside, see that nothing is there, and then go to bed. Alright?”</p><p>“Alright,” Wanda agrees easily enough, even if she is petrified to leave the tent. Though she won’t be able to sleep unless she knows for certain.</p><p>Quietly Natasha unzips the tent, slipping past the hole with the stealth of an assassin. Wanda is hot on her heels.</p><p>Together they tiptoe around the camp, eyes alert for danger. Wanda is thankful for the bright moon, casting a dim glow around them.</p><p>“See, nothing to wor–”</p><p>Both girls freeze at the lowly groan they hear. Natasha’s head whips around, looking back towards the tents.</p><p>They hear it again, this time louder, and Wanda’s heart drops into her stomach. “It’s coming from Bucky’s tent,” she points out.</p><p>Natasha nods quietly, making her way closer at a snails pace. Wanda follows behind her, hand in Natasha’s own.</p><p>
  <em>Ergh</em>
</p><p>The mumbled noise happens again and both girls stop in their tracks. Thanks to the light of the moon, both spot the figure hovering inside Bucky’s tent. They can make out his sleeping form, the shadow on top of him.</p><p>“Oh my god,” Wanda whispers, shaking her head. “The shadow person has Bucky!”</p><p>Natasha shivers, shaking her head. “Not for long.”</p><p>She bravely charges the tent, unzipping it from the outside and pushing aside the curtain. “Bucky!”</p><p>He and the other boy inside the tent hold still, both of their faces going very red as Natasha and Wanda look on in confusion and disbelief.</p><p>“What the hell Nat, Wanda?! Get out!” Bucky shouts, doing his best to cover his and the boy’s lack of clothing.</p><p>The twosome does as told, closing the tent screen quickly and averting their gazes.</p><p>By now the noise has pulled the rest of the group from their tents, save for Bruce who could probably sleep through a tornado, and they are standing in a circle around the two girls, sleepy and confused.</p><p>“Wanda, are you okay?” Steve questions, walking towards her.</p><p>“I–” She pauses lamely, before bursting into laughter. Natasha follows seconds later, the both of them clutching their stomachs as they laugh and laugh and laugh some more.</p><p>Bucky exits his tent minutes later, fully clothed with another boy hot on his heels. They are holding hands and their presence sobers Wanda and Natasha who fall silent.</p><p>“Bucky, I mean…we are so sorry.” Natasha tells him sincerely.</p><p>He simply rolls his eyes in response. “This is my boyfriend, Peter Parker. Peter Parker, these are my idiot friends.”</p><p>Peter smiles sheepishly, waving to the group though his cheeks are still tinged red.</p><p>“You’re a sophomore, right? You’re in my advanced robotics class.” Tony speaks up, grinning. He’s clearly impressed.</p><p>“Buck, not that we’re not cool with it, but why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Steve speaks up.</p><p>Bucky shrugs. “Peter wasn’t ready. I wasn’t gonna push.”</p><p>Steve nods, satisfied by this response. “So, what was up with all the screaming?”</p><p>This time, it’s Bucky’s turn to blush scarlet. “Peter and I‌ were in my tent and…oh, I don’t even know. Care to explain?” He eyes over Wanda and Natasha who both look guilty.</p><p>“Wanda thought the shadow person had you!” Natasha blurts out.</p><p>Wanda smacks her on the arm. “We both did!” She reasons. “We heard groaning! And he was sitting on top of Bucky and everything!”</p><p>Bucky looks away, scratching at the nape of his neck. “Yeah, so we’re gonna head back to bed. Night.” He takes Peter by the shoulders, turning them before reentering and closing his tent.</p><p>Clint can’t help but laugh loudly, slapping his knee in excitement. “I‌ knew I‌ got you two! Holy shit, this is awesome.” He points towards a frowning Wanda and Natasha.</p><p>“You’re an asshole,” Wanda points out, shaking her head. She brushes a stray hair back behind her ear. “You made us embarrass Bucky for no reason.”</p><p>He shrugs. “I wasn’t the one who ran in on him fucking his boyfriend,” he tells her.</p><p>Steve and Tony sigh in unison. “Let’s just go back to sleep and pretend like this never happened.” Steve says.</p><p>“Easy for you to say,” Natasha pouts. “You don’t have certain memories seared into your brain for all of eternity.”</p><p>The group laughs before heading their separate ways.</p>
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